


Gestures of Warmth

by piscesviri



Category: 15& (Band), Day6 (Band)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I Tried, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I just love jaemin you don't even know, Light Angst, Mentioned Other K-pop Artist(s), Minor Character(s), Oh My God, Platonic Relationships, Self-Indulgent, Stan 15& and Day6 thank you, T for language even tho it's not too much, also watch their performances in kpop star you'll be blessed, hugs are great y'all, mentioned other contestants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-04-16
Packaged: 2020-01-14 18:46:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18482197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/piscesviri/pseuds/piscesviri
Summary: What to do when you feel cold, anxious and scared upon such a big event like being a finalist? And even more, the favorite finalist?Fourteen year-old Jimin doesn't know, she's the one who's lost in her head. But thank goodness that Jaehyung found her when she least expected him to.





	Gestures of Warmth

**Author's Note:**

> This was totally self indulgent because I'm a full MyDay and BabyJ, and also because I had a Jae and Jimin's Kpop Star performances marathon and I just love their sibling-ish relationship and I just can't wait for midnight for ASC even though I'm tired as hell and I should have studied instead of writing this.
> 
> Enjoy, and sorry in advance if my grammar is bad! English isn't my first language ^^;;

It was the day where everything would be settled and she couldn't be more nervous about it. The rehearsals went down fine, but she was still puzzled in a cloud of anxiety and expectation. And that wasn't good at all. It was the final episode, dammit.

Jimin turned around for a bit, looking at herself while sitting down against the mirror on a practice room. It was afternoon, but soon night would come and she'd have to prove herself, once more and stronger than ever, to the exigent audience and the lovely yet imposing judges. Miss BoA was an angel on Earth, definitely one of her favorites, and she never wanted to disappoint her. Even less now. But the amount of nervousness she had now was ridiculous for her good results throughout all of the show, week after week, episode after episode. 

But her insecurities were always there. She was just a girl, fourteen years old. Nobody she knew would've had the same chance she's having right now. And yes, she should be thankful, and hell yeah she was, but being so high in a cutthroat competition (it was, after all, no matter how close you grew with the other contestants) was scary nonetheless. She was winning over people in their mid twenties, or full bands, just with her voice and willpower. And both of them were oozing hard work and determination.

But something was empty there. Something wasn't enough, and Jimin was sure it wasn't ambition at all. She was close friends with Ayeon and Hayi, other contestants with high ranks like hers. Of course she would be frustrated if her friends won against her, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. She definitely would sign with an agency (she was already this far to assure that) so it wasn't ambition. Definitely. More like… fear of what was next.

She started to blink a bit faster than usual. The tears were already pooling into her eyes, rolling down her chubby cheeks after that. She wasn't ready, it was too soon…

And out of the blue as always had happened, a presence was noticed by her. How couldn't she recognize him? The tall,  _ tall  _ figure, the big glasses, the shiny earrings and the quirky (in a good way) outfits and hair colors. That soft voice, those small eyes, that laugh. Park Jaehyung, the one and original, had opened the door and peeked inside the room. 

“Jamie?” he asked shyly yet with a concerned voice, as if he was asking permission to be there. Jimin just huffed; she really must have looked pathetic in that moment.

“Not now, Jae.”

Contrary to what she was expecting on him (Jaehyung looking for Jimin to pick on her and tease her like the idiot he was) and on his response (him shrugging off and letting her have her moment), Jaehyung didn't go away. He even  _ entered  _ the room.

“Jamie, what's wrong?” he asked worriedly, closing the door and kneeling down so he was at the same height as her. “I lost sight of you a while ago and I couldn't find you. Thank god you're here.”

She looked at him and noticed that he had her guitar hanging from its strap. Maybe he was going to practice in here? Jesus. “It's not like I want to be found in these moments,” she said while looking away, “it's not my best time, as you can see.”

Jaehyung pouted a little and tried to catch the young girl's stare again. He took off his guitar, left it aside and sat down across her so he could look at her better. He'd never seen her so vulnerable, as she was known for being cheerful, bubbly and chill over almost everything. She was a happy pill in almost all of the contestants’ days, and he was proud of those traits. But now, she seemed… fragile. Not the annoying little sister he told her she was. 

Letting his pride apart, he scooted a little closer to her and tilted his head, meeting her glassy eyes. “Jamie… you know you can tell me anything, right?” 

He smiled at her, making her smile a little as well. His classic grins with his eyes as crescent moons were really effective as they transmitted joy in ways she never really understood. Healing smiles, she guessed. He always was dripping confidence wherever he went when he was with the squad, cheeky smiles and sarcastic, borderline narcissistic comments being his main demonstrations. However, that was exaggerated; he never thought of himself like that. She knew it and that's why she wasn't surprised at his rare yet gentle gesture. Because she knew that when it was serious business, he showed his caring, concerned self. And that was relieving.

But her scared self wasn't having it. The thoughts went back at her and broke the spell, making her pout and tear up more. “It's just– it's just that…” she mumbled. Jaehyung looked at her patiently as he smiled in a warm way at her. Just like a brother would do.

“That…?” he said, to make her continue.

“I'm scared” she finally admitted. “There's a lot of pressure on my shoulders it's even constricting my chest and it makes me hard to breathe and–”

“Is it because of the final?”

And with that question, she broke down. She started sobbing and Jaehyung was honestly startled, because he most definitely had never seen her in such an alarming state. Feeling uneasy yet determined, he just shook his head and took her wrists. He pulled them towards him, and in less than an instant he was hugging her.

Jimin was crying, but  _ now  _ she was surprised. He almost never gave hugs unless he was overly happy, really serene or in private moments. A hug from him would've been a major reward for anyone in his circle and a privilege for a significant other, yet there she was, crying her heart out to him as she hugged back as tightly as she could.

His warmth was comforting. He himself was warm and comforting.

“You're the best vocalist I've ever met and heard in my entire life” he started, after a few minutes of silence from his part and sobs from hers. “You gained worldwide recognition from a lot of people. Even Ashton Kutcher, Jamie, damn it. I wish I could be you,” he added while chuckling, “but you get the point. See it in another way. Instead of extra pressure, see it as an advantage. Maybe you don't have that much pressure you feel you have; maybe you charmed the audience that much, that they're chill with it. They  _ know  _ that you will slay and you will win all this crap.”

“But– but about Ha– Hayi?” she asked while looking up, her desperate gaze meeting his soft one, “She's freaking wonderful a– and I–”

“Remember how you made BoA cry? Or JYP?” Jaehyung asked, changing the topic abruptly. “I bet they wanted you in their agencies as soon as you finished singing but they had to keep it low-key and ethic. It's my opinion, though. But you're on the same position as Beyonce in vocal range and quality. And that's not only me. Ayeon, Hayi, Matthew. All of the homies out there are sure of it. Believe me! We were tripping after hearing and seeing your Beyonce performance. Love On Top? Man, that was amazing.”

Jaehyung's laugh was quirky, just like his entire being. But instead of being loud and mock mean, this time was soft, like a whispered lullaby for a toddler. Jimin found herself calming down and listening to his words, and giggling just a little when he laughed. They did a nice harmony.

“I… I can say the same about you and Can't Take My Eyes Off You” she said, a bit better yet still teary eyed, “your high notes are… heavenly.”

Jaehyung parted the embrace for a minute so he could wipe Jimin's tears with his thumbs. He looked into her eyes and chuckled once again. “Girl,  _ your  _ high notes are the greatest freaking thing my ears have heard” he said. “Of course after my mom's voice, but you get my point” he added while laughing, and making her laugh as well. That made his chest swell with relief and happiness, as he saw the young girl looking better.

“I don't want you to compare yourself negatively with anyone, Jamie. You were about to do that a few minutes ago” he said, his voice calm but his gaze serious as he clasped his hands onto her shoulders. He always had been straightforward. “That's not healthy, please, it's hard for me too not to compare myself but here we are. The final. You're going to win this, and don't even ask me why because I already told you that half of South Korea loves you already. They expect you to be the GOAT in there. And since you are, take it as another dope performance of yours. Be chill. Just the way you are” he finished his speech with a smile and a streak of blinks with his left eye, another peculiar fact of his. 

Jimin nodded, happy to not feel that burdensome weight on her chest anymore. She embraced Jaehyung once more just because, since she liked the feeling, the warmth and the way the older boy hugged. Jimin felt his soothing heartbeats against her ear, and she started grinning as she closed her eyes. Jaehyung looked at the ridiculously cute scene and laughed, this time in a more cheerful way. He wrapped his arms around her petite figure and they stayed like this for a while. 

“Not to be cheesy or anything, Jae…”

“Trust me, you'll never surpass all the cheesy words I've told you today.”

“Shut up!” she exclaimed, laughing loudly as always, as if she never felt anxious in the first place, “I'm trying to be nice to you for once and this is how you repay me? I'll never say anything nice to you again!” 

They both knew that was a lie; the roasted each other 24/7 but they did use to throw in a few nice compliments about each other as well once in a while. So the laughter was worth it. 

“As I was saying,” Jimin said, “not to be cheesy or anything, but your hugs as rare as they are, somehow are relieving. Matthew said the same thing like on February, that your embraces were like a cure and all.”

“Did he really? I don't imagine him saying sappy shit like that” he said, not minding the fact that he cursed for the first time in that while. Jimin laughed once again.

“Yes he did. Well, he basically said that but he tried to make it sound super macho–manly–homie–bro-ish. He threw those words in, added a sprinkle of slang and that's that.”

Jaehyung started laughing as he always did: loudly, throwing his head back and his body shaking, but partially still embracing the younger girl.

“Oh my god.”

“He's telling the truth, though. Jae, your hugs are magical” Jimin said in a more tender tone, one that he rarely heard in her as she pressed his ear against his chest. Jaehyung’s heart skipped a beat at the sudden fluffy atmosphere once again. He would've thrown a snarky comment to roast her, but he simply chuckled silently. “Thanks” he whispered. “I can say the same about you and your voice.”

Jimin wanted to hug him more, but that was enough physical contact and cheesiness for them for the next four centuries. She felt his heartbeats rise and oh, she  _ would _ gain profit from that someday. Maybe using that as a roasting card in the future, one that he wouldn't be able to deny, resulting in another win for her neverending streak of successes in that matter. 

Separating herself from him, she gave Jaehyung a sincere smile and a nod. “Thank you for standing by me” she said, “I really needed to get out of my own head. I needed to let everything out.”

“I knew it since the moment I saw you hugging your knees” Jaehyung said back. “And anytime. Don't sweat it, I'm good at this.”

“Now don't start bragging about stuff I didn't ask!” Jimin exclaimed once again, standing up while giggling and helping him up as well. “You're so full of yourself, Park.”

“Says who?” Jaehyung joked back, grabbing his guitar. He still had to rehearse since it was his turn, according to the order the contestants had made themselves upon making extra practice sessions to be sure of their performances.

“The Queen Jamie!” Jimin announced with her usual confident and bubbly self. The young girl thanked him once more and walked out of the room, leaving Jaehyung to rehearse in peace. “See ya around!”

_ And she's back,  _ Jaehyung thought as he started preparing the chords for his song.  _ Thank goodness. _

 

•—•—•

 

_ “And the winner is… Park Jimin-ssi!” _

 

She felt like blacking out. Hayi was hugging her tightly as she still couldn't believe that was real. She had won.  _ She. Had. Won. _ The tears in her eyes were now of happiness, simply happiness. The cameras caught sight of her crying self but she couldn't care less.

Then, she felt more hugs. Ayeon, Jaehyung, Michelle, Seunghoon… everyone were cheering for her, as they all had wished her the best. That moment was certainly the scariest yet the happiest moment in her short life, at her fourteen years. That little girl took the crown. She definitely was Queen Jamie.

She heard Jaehyung in between the shouting and the people's screams. “I told you you could do it.”

Jimin just kept on crying as if she didn't hear him, since she was too overwhelmed with the fact that she had won and maybe he wasn't expecting her to answer either. So she didn't. But even though her mental  _ thank you for everything _ was left unsaid, she received those words with a smile as she looked at the public, thanking everyone in there as well for the support during those months. 

The following acts were a blur in between endless congratulating messages, people hugging her, her family being a sobbing mess and her running from there to there. Wow. She  _ really  _ wasn't expecting that. But maybe she should have expected it since the episode in which the legendary BoA started crying at her voice, the moment where the audience knew it, they knew she'd be the one who would take the first place.

 

When Jimin was finally over for that night and walked out of the place, Jaehyung and Ayeon were waiting for her.

“Also congratulations to you two” she said tiredly, yet smiling. “Third and sixth place? Whew! We're the future's best singers. I can bet on it!”

They all laughed. “Thanks, Jiminnie,” Ayeon said sweetly.  _ Of course, she was the sweetest girl ever.  _ “but this is about you, not us. Let's go grab some food while we're on the way. Jaehyung–oppa has already told your parents.”

“Yes, I'm the responsible adult now” he said proudly, in the Korean he knew how to handle. “Thank god I came here while being nineteen internationally. One year younger and I wouldn't be able to say this.”

Both girls laughed and started walking. In a moment, Jaehyung quickly wrapped one arm around the (much shorter) younger girl’s shoulders who comforted just a few hours ago, pressing her body against his side for a few seconds and then letting go.

“What was that for?” she asked in English with a mock disgusted voice.

“My personal hug for the winner of Kpop Star.”

“Sucks to be me” she said sarcastically. “That ‘hug’ was trash.”

“You know I'm not so into hugs” he said in Korean, with a knowing look on his eyes. Jimin just nodded and chuckled a little bit.

“Yeah, I know that.”

“You two!” Ayeon exclaimed. “Stop being lovey-dovey and move!”

They both laughed at their friend and fastened up their pace, walking together. That didn't avoid Jimin from leaning her head on his arm when they arrived to the taco restaurant though, it was a discreet way of saying thank you. Jaehyung wasn't ignorant, after all. It was their way to show warmth when the doors weren't closed. He'd always be open to receive affection from his not blood related little sister, whether it was via hard roasting or a simple smile.

Warmth. They liked that word.

 

•—•—•

 

“Jamie!” a shout was heard as he violently backhugged her. The young woman screamed and spun back, hitting his arm as she forced herself off the embrace.

“Jae, for fuck's sake!” she shouted back. “You scared the shit out of me.”

“Come on,” the man said teasingly and in mock hurt, “you didn't react like that when I hugged you back then.”

“Because your intention wasn't to startle me, you asshole!”

“Fair point. But why do you hate me so much?” Jae kept on his fake drama queen skit. “I'm the nicest person you'll ever meet.”

“Oh yeah? And tell me, why has nobody collaborated with you until today? I mean, Brian has collaborated with Ayeon and with me…” Jimin teased while looking at her perfectly painted nails.

“Hey, you brat, I collaborated in McKay's track!”

They kept on bantering for a while as they waited for the rest to arrive at Jimin's place for the gathering she planned. It was still early, so he took the chance and got there first.

“Hey…” Jimin started, seeing his eye twitching instead of blinking, “why did you come if you're not having enough sleep? This will end late, and you know it.”

“Can’t a man visit his friend after finishing his world tour in peace?” Jae asked while laughing, but he stopped after seeing Jimin's serious face. “Okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But what I said it's true. I've been on a roll for months; I need this. The guys are on their shit as well tonight, some of them sleeping already and some of them meeting friends. We'll start practicing again in less than two days, so… gotta see y'all again before taking off once more.”

Jimin smiled while looking at him. “You're so nice, Jae.”

“Huh? And where did that come from?”

“From my heart, you ass.”

Jae started laughing again and pulled her close to form a small embrace as they both were still in the kitchen. She wrapped her arms around him as well, creating a soft hug.

“Remember when you said my hugs were magical?” Jae asked, with no teasing voices or whatsoever. “The cute, younger you. A little sister who’s a living hell till these days.”

“Remember when your heartbeat went fast because of my cute, younger self, your living hell of a little sister?” Jimin teased lightly, yet still hugging him. 

“It was rare from you to show that much affection back then” Jae defended himself. “No, it's rare from you _ until today! _ ”

“I was childish back then. Now I'm cool. I'm a queen.”

“You called yourself Queen Jamie since those years.”

“Was I lying?”

“Maybe?”

More laughter. Then, a comfortable silence.

“Thank you for being my friend, Jamie. Until today.”

Warm hugs. Warm words.

“Thank you for being you, Jae. Until today.”

Tender gazes, tender hearts.

“Yeah, anytime.”

The doorbell rang and they parted their hug. Jae went to open the door, finding and greeting Bambam and Younghyun, who arrived later due to sleeping in.

“You better help me with the cocktails, you three!” she yelled from the kitchen. “Or I'll kick your asses out!”

The four of them laughed harmonically as Jae gave Jimin  _ that  _ knowing look, the same one as that night. A look that transmitted all the words they didn't need to say to each other.

One of the many gestures of warmth they had until today.

**Author's Note:**

> Please give a lot of love for all of the Studio J artists! (Day6, Ayeon, Jimin and Yerin) They're underrated and deserve love, hugs and a lot of warmth as well ♥
> 
> Scream with me on twt @piscesviri and in cc @daisyounghyun (bonus points if you also speak spanish since 80% of my tweets are in that language lmao)
> 
> See you soon, hopefully!


End file.
